Detachable spur for roller skates



March 27, 1951 ABEL 2,546,622

DETACHABLE SPUR FOR ROLLER SKATES Filed Jan. 23, 1950 INVENTOR. Jack HelBY 6% M Patented Mar. 27, 1951 2,546,622 DETACHABLE' SPUR FOR ROLLERSKATES Jack Abel, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to D. P. Harris "Haw; & Mfg.00., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation f Application January 23,1950, Serial No. 139,973

This invention relates to roller skates in general, and to play skatesfor youngsters in particular.

It is an object of the present invention to provide for the detachablemounting of simulated spurs on conventional roller skates so as toenable youngsters to style their roller skates for the occasion ofplaying outdoor games involving horseback riding, such as playingcowboy, for instance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide fordetachability of the simulated spurs from conventional roller skatessothat the spurs may be removed and the roller skates used in theirconventional form.

It is another object of the present invention to render roller skatesgenerally more attractive to youngsters. by providing roller skates witha spectacular display of spurs and thereby associate roller skating withhoreback riding in the minds of youngsters and suggest to them new kindsof entertaining activity with their skates.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be more fully understood from the following descriptionconsidered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a roller skate embodying thepresent invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of the same roller skate; and

Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2thereof, the reference numeral l designates a roller skate having theusual foot and heel plates l2 and [4, respectively, which, arecustomarily telescoping to permit lengthening or shortening of .theskate. The plates and I4 may, in accordance with conventiorial practice,be locked in their lengthwise adjusted relative position by a screw I5which is accessible from below. The plates l2 and M are provided withconventional supports l8 and 20 for front and rear pairs of rotaryrollers 22 and 24, respectively. The foot plate l2 of the skate may, forits attachment to the sole of the wearers shoe, be provided with theusual adjustable clamping jaws (not shown). The heel rest 16, which iscustomarily provided on the heel plate I 4, may be apertured on oppositesides, as at 30, for the passage therethrough of a leather or otherstrap 32 having a conventional buckle 34 for releasably closing thestrap on the wearers 1 Claim. (01. 2s0 11.37)

ankle and thereby securing the heel rest l6 and heel plate I4 of theskate to the wearers foot. The heel rest It, which is customarily curvedin approximation of the wearers heel (Fig. 2), usually extends onlyaround the end of the heel plate l4, and the remaining opposite margins34 and 36 of the latter plate are preferably left exposed on the skatefor a purpose hereinafter described. The roller skate described hereinmay in all respects be conventional.

The roller skate I0 is, in accordance with the present invention,provided with the spectacular display of a simulated horseback rider'sspur 40, which comprises a mounting fork 42 and a spur point 44. Thespur point 44 is, in the present instance, a star-like wheel of the kindusually employed in rowel spurs, and may conveniently be rotatablymounted at 46 in rearward extensions 48 and 59 of the prongs 52 and 54-,respectively, of the spur fork 42. The prongs 52 and 54 of the spur fork42, which may conveniently be joined by a rivet 56, are preferably madeof spring steel or a similar resilient material so that they may engagethe heel rest 16 of the skate with a yielding force when straddling thesame in the mounted fashion shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

For detachably mounting the spur on the roller skate, the opposite endsand 62 of the prongs 52 and 54, respectively, of the spur fork 42 are,in the present instance, formed into channel shape (Fig. 3) so as to besnappable over the adjacent margins 34 and 3B, respectively, of the heelplate M of the skate. Thus, in order to apply the spur 40 to the skate I0, it is merely necessary to force the spur fork 42 over the heel restl6 until the channel-shaped ends 60 and 62 of the former are in positionto be snapped over the adjacent margins 34 and 36, respectively, of theheel plate I4. Removal of the spur 40 from the roller skate is evensimpler, requiring mere forceful retraction of the spur rearwardly awayfrom the skate, as will be readily understood.

While the instant spur 40 is detachably mountable on the roller skate,it is fully within the pur view of the present invention to provide thespur on the skate as a permanent part thereof. Thus, regardless ofwhether the spur 40 is a permanent part of the roller skate or isdetachably mounted thereon, the display of the spur 0n the roller skateis spectacular to most youngsters and, by associatingin their mindsroller-skating with horseback riding, suggests to them new kinds ofentertaining activity with their skates. Thus, the display of spurs onroller skates does suggest to most youngsters to enlarge upon mereroller-skating by playing such popular games as cowboy, for instance,while on skates. Aside from inducing youngsters to enter into outdoorgames which add their thrills to those of rollerskating, the display ofspurs on roller skates satisfies to a considerable extent a youngstersnatural desire to bear some resemblance tor the character which he orshe portrays: in playing. The detachability of the spur 40 has, ofcourse. the advantage of enabling youngsters to mount the spurs forplaying games involving horseback riding, and to leave them ofi on otheroccasions.

While I have shown and. described the preaferred embodiment of myinvention, it will be understood that various changes may be made in thepresent invention without departing fromithe.

underlying idea or principles of the invention 4 rest, said spurcomprising a resiliently spreadable mounting fork with oppositechannel-shaped endsand a rearwardly projectingspur point substantiallycentrally of said fork, said channelshaped fork ends being adapted to besnapped over opposite margins, respectively, of the heel plate of askate for detachably mounting said spur on. the latter in position,thereon in which said fork straddles the heel rest and said pointextends rearwardly from the latter to simulate normal wear of said spuron the heel' of the wearer of the skate.

JACK ABEL.

Number Name Date 863 ,675 Towle; i,. Aug. 2%, 1:307 2,021,316" MarxNov-.1 19,, 1935. 2,484,898 McDonald Oct. 13,;139495 2,487,46L

McKinney m... News; i949

